Florida Phoenix
@floridaphoenix.com
We don’t pay attention to the media bashers. We’re too busy reporting on how Florida’s policies and politics affect you. Quality journalism for critical times.
Even if some laws were ruled unconstitutional, they may have to be litigated again because the basis for the unconstitutional argument relied on the Roe v. Wade case that the U.S. Supreme Court overturned almost four years ago. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/17/r...
Trials show successful ballot initiatives are only the beginning of restoring abortion access • Florida Phoenix
The outcome of two trials in the coming weeks could shape what it will look like when voters overturn state abortion bans through future ballot initiatives. Arizona and Missouri voters in November 202...
floridaphoenix.com
January 17, 2026 at 8:58 PM
Even if some laws were ruled unconstitutional, they may have to be litigated again because the basis for the unconstitutional argument relied on the Roe v. Wade case that the U.S. Supreme Court overturned almost four years ago. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/17/r...
Applicants must live within the jurisdiction of the court and have been a member of the Florida Bar for the preceding 10 years. floridaphoenix.com/briefs/tanen...
Tanenbaum Supreme Court elevation leaves a spot on First District Court of Appeal • Florida Phoenix
The First District Court of Appeal is looking to fill a seat — the one vacated by Adam Tanenbaum, who was elevated this week to the Florida Supreme Court by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The First District, loca...
floridaphoenix.com
January 16, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Applicants must live within the jurisdiction of the court and have been a member of the Florida Bar for the preceding 10 years. floridaphoenix.com/briefs/tanen...
“This is antithetical to the promise of fair and free elections our country promises and the franchise that civil rights leaders fought and died for.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/16/r...
Federal courts deny Trump request for private voter data in 2 states • Florida Phoenix
The Trump administration hit two major legal roadblocks this week in its effort to obtain sensitive personal voter data from states. On Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge David Carter dismissed a law...
floridaphoenix.com
January 16, 2026 at 8:35 PM
“This is antithetical to the promise of fair and free elections our country promises and the franchise that civil rights leaders fought and died for.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/16/r...
A bipartisan congressional delegation was in Denmark on Friday to communicate to leaders of that country and Greenland that they don’t support Trump’s efforts. floridaphoenix.com?post_type=re...
Page not found • Florida Phoenix
Page not found • Florida Phoenix
floridaphoenix.com
January 16, 2026 at 8:33 PM
A bipartisan congressional delegation was in Denmark on Friday to communicate to leaders of that country and Greenland that they don’t support Trump’s efforts. floridaphoenix.com?post_type=re...
“That doesn’t even include the cost of new dorms that are existing prison locations. It doesn’t include new construction for facilities to accommodate the growing prison population,” Smith said. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/16/l...
Lawmaker says Florida prisons needs more money than they're asking for • Florida Phoenix
Gov. Ron DeSantis is requesting the Legislature provide hundreds of millions of dollars for the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) in his proposed fiscal year 2026-2027 budget, but a Democratic s...
floridaphoenix.com
January 16, 2026 at 6:29 PM
“That doesn’t even include the cost of new dorms that are existing prison locations. It doesn’t include new construction for facilities to accommodate the growing prison population,” Smith said. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/16/l...
“There cannot be unbridled consolidation of all elections power in the Executive without action from Congress and public debate." floridaphoenix.com?post_type=re...
Page not found • Florida Phoenix
Page not found • Florida Phoenix
floridaphoenix.com
January 16, 2026 at 4:39 PM
“There cannot be unbridled consolidation of all elections power in the Executive without action from Congress and public debate." floridaphoenix.com?post_type=re...
“We’re convinced that Adam’s death was avoidable, and because we believe thousands of other teens who are using OpenAI could be in similar danger right now,” Raine said. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/16/r...
AI therapy chatbots draw new oversight as suicides raise alarm • Florida Phoenix
States are passing laws to prevent artificially intelligent chatbots, such as ChatGPT, from being able to offer mental health advice to young users, following a trend of people harming themselves afte...
floridaphoenix.com
January 16, 2026 at 1:27 PM
“We’re convinced that Adam’s death was avoidable, and because we believe thousands of other teens who are using OpenAI could be in similar danger right now,” Raine said. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/16/r...
This is the second year the E-Verify bill has cleared the House. Last year, the measure never gained traction in the Senate. It remains to be seen whether its identical companion bill, filed by Sen. Jonathan Martin, will be scheduled for a committee hearing. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/f...
Florida's universal E-Verify mandate passes House Floor • Florida Phoenix
For the second year in a row, the Florida House on Thursday greenlit a controversial measure requiring all businesses use a federal verification tool to determine whether new hires can legally work in...
floridaphoenix.com
January 15, 2026 at 9:07 PM
This is the second year the E-Verify bill has cleared the House. Last year, the measure never gained traction in the Senate. It remains to be seen whether its identical companion bill, filed by Sen. Jonathan Martin, will be scheduled for a committee hearing. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/f...
“It seems like the House leadership is hellbent on bringing more lawsuits in Florida, which will only serve to drive up costs for ordinary Floridians,” Florida Justice Reform Institute President William Large told the Florida Phoenix. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/f...
Fetal personhood, 'free kill,' sovereign immunity, and phosphates: It's tort day in the House • Florida Phoenix
The Florida House once again this year is charging ahead with sweeping changes to laws governing lawsuits, notwithstanding in some cases pressure from business groups, and now will send the bills to t...
floridaphoenix.com
January 15, 2026 at 8:29 PM
“It seems like the House leadership is hellbent on bringing more lawsuits in Florida, which will only serve to drive up costs for ordinary Floridians,” Florida Justice Reform Institute President William Large told the Florida Phoenix. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/f...
Writing on his own social media platform, Trump said he would invoke the Insurrection Act, a 19th-century law empowering the government to deploy the military domestically to “repress insurrections and repel invasions.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/r...
Trump threatens to use Insurrection Act and deploy military in Minnesota • Florida Phoenix
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday morning to send the military into Minnesota to stop protests, following another shooting by immigration agents that injured one person, seven...
floridaphoenix.com
January 15, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Writing on his own social media platform, Trump said he would invoke the Insurrection Act, a 19th-century law empowering the government to deploy the military domestically to “repress insurrections and repel invasions.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/r...
'We will go to court within seconds, and we will win if he does this.' floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/r...
Democrats shrug as Trump threatens ‘sanctuary’ cities again with February funding cutoff • Florida Phoenix
President Donald Trump’s threat this week to stop federal funding to both so-called “sanctuary” cities and the states where they’re located was greeted with disbelief by many states and cities since t...
floridaphoenix.com
January 15, 2026 at 6:17 PM
'We will go to court within seconds, and we will win if he does this.' floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/r...
This comes just one day after DeSantis bashed the ABA as a left-wing organization undeserving of being the “arbiter of legal education,” and months after Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier accused the organization of discriminating against Roman Catholics. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/f...
Florida Supreme Court ends three-decade reliance on ABA, handing win to DeSantis • Florida Phoenix
In a massive win for Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Supreme Court Thursday ended its reliance on the agency in charge of accrediting law schools.
floridaphoenix.com
January 15, 2026 at 5:44 PM
This comes just one day after DeSantis bashed the ABA as a left-wing organization undeserving of being the “arbiter of legal education,” and months after Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier accused the organization of discriminating against Roman Catholics. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/f...
“The math doesn’t work. This is fiscal crisis by design." floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/p...
Proposal to gradually end property taxes advances in House committee • Florida Phoenix
A proposed constitutional amendment to go before the voters that would gradually increase the homestead exemption for non-school-related property taxes by $100,000 each year for 10 years advanced in a...
floridaphoenix.com
January 15, 2026 at 5:14 PM
“The math doesn’t work. This is fiscal crisis by design." floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/p...
“The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates,” the State Department wrote. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/r...
Visa processing for immigrants from 75 nations frozen by Trump administration • Florida Phoenix
WASHINGTON — The State Department announced Wednesday it would suspend all visa processing for immigrants hailing from 75 countries because they are deemed likely to need governmental assistance in th...
floridaphoenix.com
January 15, 2026 at 4:21 PM
“The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates,” the State Department wrote. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/r...
The vote came less than a week after Young and Hawley were among the five Senate Republicans who broke with party ranks to move the resolution across an initial procedural hurdle — a rare rebuke of Trump from some in his own party. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/r...
War powers resolution fails in US Senate after 2 Republicans flip, Vance breaks tie • Florida Phoenix
WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance broke a tied Senate vote to block advancement of a war powers resolution that would have stopped President Donald Trump from taking further military action against...
floridaphoenix.com
January 15, 2026 at 4:20 PM
The vote came less than a week after Young and Hawley were among the five Senate Republicans who broke with party ranks to move the resolution across an initial procedural hurdle — a rare rebuke of Trump from some in his own party. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/r...
Seated with a jug of milk on the Resolute Desk, Trump said the changes will also be “major victories for the American dairy farmers who we love and who voted for me in great numbers.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/r...
Trump signs law to allow whole milk in school lunches • Florida Phoenix
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed a law Wednesday that will restore whole milk in federally subsidized school lunches. The dairy staple — out of school meal programs for more than a decade am...
floridaphoenix.com
January 15, 2026 at 4:19 PM
Seated with a jug of milk on the Resolute Desk, Trump said the changes will also be “major victories for the American dairy farmers who we love and who voted for me in great numbers.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/r...
The Mason-Dixon poll shows Jolly, a former Republican member of Congress, leading Demings, mayor of Orange County, 23%-19%. But 58% are undecided in the August primary. floridaphoenix.com/briefs/david...
David Jolly leads Jerry Demings in new Democratic poll; majority undecided • Florida Phoenix
David Jolly leads Jerry Demings in one of the first major polls of the Democratic primary for governor of Florida in 2026, but the majority of 400 registered Democratic voters surveyed are undecided. ...
floridaphoenix.com
January 15, 2026 at 12:55 PM
The Mason-Dixon poll shows Jolly, a former Republican member of Congress, leading Demings, mayor of Orange County, 23%-19%. But 58% are undecided in the August primary. floridaphoenix.com/briefs/david...
The Florida House is leaping to shield the big polluter from having to pay for what it’s done. It’s on today’s Special Order Calendar in the House floor, meaning the floor debate will begin. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/p...
Phosphate giant turns to Florida Legislature for help thwarting lawsuits • Florida Phoenix
There was a time, a dozen years ago, when you couldn’t turn on a TV in Florida without seeing an ad for the Mosaic Co. You’d see scenes of golden waves of grain and farmers tilling their crops, and yo...
floridaphoenix.com
January 15, 2026 at 12:34 PM
The Florida House is leaping to shield the big polluter from having to pay for what it’s done. It’s on today’s Special Order Calendar in the House floor, meaning the floor debate will begin. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/p...
“Fraudsters, unfortunately, have discovered our school choice program and they scammed millions of dollars by creating fictitious students. Not Minnesota, but not a good look." floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/t...
The ball is in the House's court to solve school voucher funding problems • Florida Phoenix
It’s the Florida House’s turn to address school voucher accounting shortfalls. The Senate on Wednesday unanimously approved its package to fix problems uncovered by a state audit that created major co...
floridaphoenix.com
January 15, 2026 at 12:04 AM
“Fraudsters, unfortunately, have discovered our school choice program and they scammed millions of dollars by creating fictitious students. Not Minnesota, but not a good look." floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/t...
"They’re almost embarrassed to walk into those meetings with their hand out because they’re just hard-working people and honestly they don’t want to ask the government for anything.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/r...
'Rural Renaissance rolls through the Senate again' • Florida Phoenix
The Florida Senate is not giving up on a “rural renaissance.” Wednesday, the second day of the regular legislative session, saw unanimous support in a floor vote for Senate President Ben Albritton’s p...
floridaphoenix.com
January 14, 2026 at 11:55 PM
"They’re almost embarrassed to walk into those meetings with their hand out because they’re just hard-working people and honestly they don’t want to ask the government for anything.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/r...
“The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/r...
Visa processing for immigrants from 75 nations frozen by Trump administration • Florida Phoenix
WASHINGTON — The State Department announced Wednesday it would suspend all visa processing for immigrants hailing from 75 countries because they are deemed likely to need governmental assistance in th...
floridaphoenix.com
January 14, 2026 at 10:59 PM
“The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/r...
“She needs to be held accountable for her actions,” Kelly said. “Renee Nicole Good is dead because Secretary Noem allowed her DHS agents to run amok.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/r...
Democrats in Congress seek to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem • Florida Phoenix
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Democrats Wednesday introduced three articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, after a deadly shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by a federal imm...
floridaphoenix.com
January 14, 2026 at 10:57 PM
“She needs to be held accountable for her actions,” Kelly said. “Renee Nicole Good is dead because Secretary Noem allowed her DHS agents to run amok.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/r...
Last month, Cobb issued a temporary block on a policy by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that required seven days notice for lawmakers to conduct oversight visits at ICE facilities. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/r...
Judge weighs Trump administration limits on congressional visits to immigration facilities • Florida Phoenix
WASHINGTON — U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb Wednesday probed whether the Trump administration has violated her court order, after Minnesota lawmakers said they were denied an oversight visit to a...
floridaphoenix.com
January 14, 2026 at 10:53 PM
Last month, Cobb issued a temporary block on a policy by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that required seven days notice for lawmakers to conduct oversight visits at ICE facilities. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/r...
Under existing law, local governments are authorized — but not required — to enact such ordinances. The bill would require cities and counties to authorize the units by Dec. 1. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/p...
Proposal to allow more ADUs to boost state's housing stock moves in Senate • Florida Phoenix
A proposal to boost affordable housing by allowing what are known as accessory dwelling units (ADUs) — including in-law suites, garage apartments, and backyard cottages — in areas usually restricted t...
floridaphoenix.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:37 PM
Under existing law, local governments are authorized — but not required — to enact such ordinances. The bill would require cities and counties to authorize the units by Dec. 1. floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/p...
"My argument would be that protecting religious liberty and expression is arguably the most necessary thing to do. Laws are constantly being shifted, repealed, amended, and all sorts of things that happen." floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/r...
Religious expression protection in schools a step closer to voter approval • Florida Phoenix
Voters in Florida could have a chance to enshrine religious protections in schools in the Florida Constitution, the same protections already established in statute. The measure, HJR 583, pitched as es...
floridaphoenix.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:09 PM
"My argument would be that protecting religious liberty and expression is arguably the most necessary thing to do. Laws are constantly being shifted, repealed, amended, and all sorts of things that happen." floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/14/r...